Knockdown barrel



Apr. 24, 1923.

G. A. LE FEVRE KNOCKDOWN BARREL Filed Jan. 5, 1922 14 17 lIIlIII/III/ 14flf/f mil /7 n mfd m Q n w A N Patented Apr. 24, 1923.

UNiTEDsTAT s PATENT: OFFICE.

GEORGE A. LE rnv an', or RICHMOND HILL, NEW YORK; Assionon T PAXFLATBARREL &. CRATE CORPORATION, or NEW YORK, 1v, Y., A oonronacrionor NEWYORK.

KNOGKDOWN BARREL.

Application filed January 5, 1922. Serial mlta aoss.

T 0 all whom 't may concern? Be it known that I, GnonenA. Ln Fnvnn,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Richmond Hill, QueensCounty,

New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in KnockdownBarrels, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in knock down barrels, and moreparticularly to the body portion of such barrels. To be still moredefinite, my invention relates to knock down barrels of the type inwhich the body portion is formed of staves which abut edge to edge, areadapted to lie flatfor shipping or storage, or to be rolled up intobarrel form for use. It is desirable in structures of this kind to havethe hoops which fasten the body in operating position and hold theheads, movable with relation to the staves, as this facilitates theadjustment of the hoop. Moreover, when the hoops and staves are fastenedtogether there is a strain on the fastening attachments which tends totear the hoops from the staves and injure the structure. My invention isintended to produce a barrel body of this general kind which can be moreconveniently handled and set up for use, or handled for storage orshipping, thanwhere the staves and hoops are secured together andreliance is made on the hoop and stave connection for keeping the partsin shape. I have found that by attaching the several staves firmlytogether edge to edge and in the right relation by a flexible meanswhich will form the body into a sort of mat which can be convenientlyhandled, the barrel can be used to much better advantage and handledmore economically. This will appear clearer from the description whichfollows.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar reference characters indicatecorresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a set up barrel embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged broken inside elevation of two adjacent staves.

Figure 3 is an end view of the structure shown in Figure 2, with thestaves at an angle to each other to engage at the edges.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but with the staves laid flat.

Figure 5 is a broken exterior view of the I barrel body when laid fiat,and r Figure 6 is axbroken inside view of the flat barrel body.

By way of example I have illustrated my improved construction inconnection with a knock-down barrel having staves 10 arranged edge toedge, and provided with croze grooves 11 to receive the heads, and atthe edges the staveshave inclined recesses 12 spaced apart, and withsquare shoulders 13 between the recesses, the recesses on one edge beingin staggered relation to those on the other edge of the staves, so thatthe staves will always meet at their outer edges, but when bentup as inFigure 3, to form a barrel, the shoulders 13 will enter the recesses 12,and so look the staves together against enda wise movement.

I have referred to the foregoing structure in order that my inventionmay be better understood, but this is not here claimed as it is coveredin an application for Letters Patent of the United States Serial No.403,- 468, filed August 14,1920, and allowed November 3, 1921. r

In my prior construction, and in most knock down barrels, the staves areheld in the right relation by the hoops 14; whereas in my presentstructure, the hoops are independent of the barrel body, being simplyguided through staples 14 which can be placed at necessary intervals, afew being spaced around the barrel, and the hoop ends are fastenedtogether by a suitable fastening shown at 16.

I have found, however, that if the staves when laid fiat have ,anexterior fastening which holds them together to form a flexible mat orbody, the body can be handled much more conveniently and economically.To this end I provide them with thin metallic bands 17, which are spacedapart and firmly secured to the staves, these bands being simply longenough to extend across hers 17 might be Wires, or in fact any means ofholding the staves in the right relation before the barrel isset up foruse; and so far as this invention is concerned, the parts 12 and 13 arenot particularly material, although my structure lends itself Well tothis type of barrel.

It Will be seen that the members 17 are suflioiently flexible to allowthe-barrel to he rolled up into generally cylindrical shape, or to tieout fiat, and the .body .When :the staves are fastened. together asspecified, forms a simple flexible unit Which can be handled With greatfacility. hen it is set up, the usual heads are placed in the crozegrooves, and the hoops ltare secured at the ends as at 16. I have shownthree hoops, but any desired number can be used, and likewise anydesired numberofthe fastening members 17 can be used to hold the stavestogether.

I claim A flexible body blank for knock down barrels comprising stavesplaced together edge to edge and transverse flexible members lacking thefunctional characteristics of a hoop secured to the staves to hold themin the right relation.

GEORGE A. LE FEVRE.

'lVitnesses VARREN B. HUroHINsoN, M. G. ODONNELL.

